Six weeks’ jail for four Launceston CBD assault charges

A MAN who went on a violent rampage through Launceston’s CBD late last year has been sentenced to six weeks in jail, despite being convicted of similar offences earlier this year.

Corey Mitchell Gesler attacked a man at the Commercial Hotel and another man at the taxi rank on George Street in December.

He pleaded guilty to assaulting the men in a gang attack, while his victims were outnumbered.

None of his victims suffered serious injuries, but the court heard that he had been sentenced in August for six similar assaults on strangers at the Bridport Hotel in January.

In sentencing Gesler in the Launceston Magistrates Court on Wednesday Magistrate Duncan Fairley called the 23-year-old’s actions “mindless violence” and ruled he was clearly the instigator in the attacks.

“Your behaviour towards the end of last year was disgraceful,” Mr Fairley said.

“The consequences could have easily been far more serious.”

Mr Fairley said one of the assaults occurred while Gesler was barred from being in the CBD due to a court order.

Mr Fairley said Gesler had fallen victim to his upbringing, which was marred by family violence.

He noted that prior to the Bridport assaults and the CBD assaults, his list of prior convictions showed he had a “poor history for similar offences”.

Gesler was sentenced to six weeks’s jail, to be served cumulatively with his Bridport assaults sentence.

Gesler was also fined $800 and disqualified from driving for eight months upon his release from prison for driving while under the influence of a drug.